Retrofit HVAC Controls Are Key To Motel 6 Energy Savings

Motel 6 is in the midst of a program to retrofit more than 7,000 hotels rooms in California with "smart" sensors to improve the motel chain's energy efficiency, according to Accor North America, Motel 6's parent company.

The retrofit of 66 properties, which began in June, will save an estimated $140 per room in annual energy savings, or an average of 1,100 kilowatt-hours. The sensors will shut off air conditioning and heating equipment when the rooms are unoccupied. The program addresses what is a common energy issue in the lodging industry, explained Dan Gilligan, Accor North America vice president of utilities.

"Motel 6 will no longer waste electricity in empty rooms and will also cut back on properties' carbon dioxide emissions," said Gilligan. "We have calculated that this program will yield a reduction of 10.1 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year for us."

The company previous did similar retrofits to rooms in 49 of its California properties, for a total retrofit of more than 13,400 rooms.